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Patek Watches

The Swiss company that became Patek Philippe was founded in 1839. One of the company’s two founding partners, Antoine Norbert de Patek, met French watch maker Adrien Philippe in 1844 during a presentation of Philippe’s pioneering stem-winding system. In 1845, Patek’s partner decided to strike out on his own and in 1851, Patek Philippe & Cie was born.

From the beginning, Patek Philippe made some of the most complicated — and beautiful — watches ever produced. Fastidious records have been kept on every watch the company has made, so that modern-day collectors can request the repair history of any antique or vintage Patek Philippe watch before making a purchase.

Significantly, the company’s first wristwatch was also Switzerland’s first wristwatch. It was made in 1868 and sold to the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary in 1876. Ornate and clunky by contemporary standards, it was wound with a key and resembled a triptych, with the watch framed by two diamond-and-gold encrusted panels on either side. Patek Philippe has been a luxury brand ever since.

By the end of the 19th century, the technical quality of Patek Philippe watches began to be codified. In 1886, the micromechanical engineering and hand finishing of the firm’s wristwatch movements were awarded the prestigious Geneva Seal. Numerous patents followed, including one for a "split-seconds chronograph" in 1902.

Patek Philippe’s first complicated ladies’ wristwatch appeared in 1916. It had a five-minute repeater. In 1922-23, Patek Philippe created the first split-seconds chronograph wristwatch and in 1925 it introduced its first wristwatch with a perpetual calendar.

The 1920s was a vibrant decade for Patek Philippe. Some of its most sought-after antique watches are from this period, including the Officer Gondolo wristwatch from 1920, a perpetual-calendar wristwatch with moon phases in 1925, a repeater in 1926, and a square version of the handsome Gondolo in 1928.

Despite the Great Depression and new owners in 1932, innovation continued through the 1930s. The rectangular Reverso, whose face could be reversed as its name suggests, was produced in 1932, but it took more than a decade for the curiosity to find a buyer. The extra-large, "Staybrite" steel Doctor’s wristwatch arrived in 1937. As for the Calatrava, which is today considered one of the company’s flagship lines, it began in 1932, with new Calatravas added throughout the decade...

In 1941, Patek Philippe began regular production of its perpetual-calendar wristwatches — today these vintage Patek Philippes are highly prized by collectors. By the middle of the decade, a wristwatch named for Duke Ellington appeared. Edward Kennedy Ellington himself purchased one in 1948, though why the legendary jazzman needed a water-resistant wristwatch with a split-second chronograph and a tachometer can only be imagined.

Patek Philippe filed numerous patents for self-winding mechanisms in the mid-1950s (a self-winder from 1955 with a black enamel dial and labeled "Ref. 2526" is especially handsome). Patents were also filed in 1959 and 1962 for time-zone watches. The end of the 1950s saw the introduction of a prototype for a digital wristwatch; the late 1960s heralded the launch of the first model in the popular Ellipse collection ("Ref. 3548").

Concurrently, from the late 1940s until about 1960, Patek Philippe produced a number of wristwatches with cloisonné dials to take advantage of the abundance of enamel painters who were working in Geneva at that time. Subjects included maps (Geneva and its lake, the world, the Americas, Eurasia), sports figures (a tennis player, a polo player), and odes to nature (a rain forest, palm trees).

Another popular Patek Philippe series are the vintage, asymmetrical wristwatches of the 1950s and 1960s. Designed by Gilbert Albert, these post-war timepieces are distinctly Swiss riffs on the Mid-century Modern aesthetic of the day.

Recent News: Patek Philippe Watches

The booming watch rental business goes global with Eleven James

BRW, March 2nd

Eleven James, however, will expand in Britain during the first quarter of this year with its collection of dozens of watches, including such brands as Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Cartier and Patek Philippe. The company's Aficionado plan offers watches...Read more

Smart watches: Are we really watching the future?

The Independent, March 2nd

But, says Mr Choughari, there is a key difference between an Apple Watch and a Rolex or Patek Philippe. “People buying watches, and especially luxury watches, know they keep their value. Buying a tech product is almost the other way around. When you ...Read more

One of the World's Rarest Time-Only Patek Philippe Wristwatches: Stolen

Forbes, March 2nd

A rare and exceptionally fine example of Patek Philippe's reference 570 was stolen while enroute from the well-known NYC dealer, Andrew Shear, to an important U.S. Collector, whose name remains anonymous. This oversized wristwatch can be quickly ...Read more

It's not just Julius Malema: Inside SA's 'super luxury' watch market

Rand Daily Mail, March 2nd

A super-luxury watch is handmade, can take years to produce, and is mechanical rather than battery operated. In SA, the top selling super-luxury watches are Patek Philippe, Frank Muller, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin and Ulysse Nardin, according to ...Read more

LG's new smartwatch: more Patek Philippe, less Pebble

Gant Daily, February 16th

The latest LG smartwatch looks more like a Patek Philippe and less like a Pebble. The electronics company unveiled its brand new LG Watch Urbane on Sunday. It's a return to form — round body in silver or gold, and the straps are made of stitched leather...Read more

Patek Philippe slashes prices by over 20% in Hong Kong

WantChinaTimes, February 14th

Swiss luxury watch brand Patek Philippe announced a significant markdown in prices by up to 22% in the Hong Kong market, a move analysts believe is aimed at taking on an influx of European watches through parallel imports, Shanghai's the Paper reports...Read more

Patek Philippe Reduces Prices in Americas, Raises Prices in Europe

Bloomberg, February 11th

Patek Philippe has reduced the prices of its watches by 7 percent in the Americas, effective Feb. 10, in reaction to recent currency fluctuations in Europe and Switzerland. In addition to the Americas price decrease, Patek Philippe is lowering prices...Read more

Deconstructed: Patek Philippe, Ref. 421

Christie's, February 3rd

In today's watch market there are boutique edition pieces and then there are pieces like this rare top-winding Patek Philippe reference 421 from circa 1924 — old-style boutique pieces made especially for a retailer by exclusive arrangement. Marvelous...Read more